`Tom Jones` Is Faithful To A Fault

May 20, 1988|By Richard Christiansen, Entertainment editor.

``The Lusty and Comical History of Tom Jones`` says it all in its title. John Morrison`s adaptation of Henry Fielding`s great novel of 1749, ``The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling,`` is insistent in its attempts to be lusty and comical.

In its production at the Center Theater, the play offers a pure-hearted hero, mean-spirited villains, robust wenches, fair maidens, mistaken identities, deceitful intrigues, furious chases, slapstick brawls and a last- minute rescue.

It`s all rather wearying but not because the stage version has been unfaithful to the book. Within 2 1/2 hours, the play packs in almost as much plot as the novel contains. But Fielding`s picaresque novel can be read at a leisurely pace; the play requires such a pell-mell rush through the story that the frantic action becomes exhausting.

The actors in this production are far from tired, however. Dashing on and off an open playing space that serves as both town and country setting, they engage in sharply staged duels and entwine in robust embraces with a vigor sometimes matched with style.

John Mossman as the amorous but virtuous hero maintains his likable character`s innocence even as he races through bedrooms and bushes to his next conquest; and Kathy Scambiatterra as his beloved, high-born Sophia Western is a pert and saucy heroine.

RJ Coleman uses his lean, skinny-legged frame to comic advantage in his portrayal of Mr. Blifil, the sourpuss prude who is the strapping young hero`s rival; and the rest of the cast, in multiple roles and wigs, hops through the narrative with unrelenting drive under the direction of Dan LaMorte.

The play owes some debt to the popular 1963 film adaptation, directed by Tony Richardson and starring Albert Finney. The sensuous dining table scene between Tom and the lusty Jenny, and the bullish, broad intepretation of the character of Squire Western, happen to parallel the movie`s treatment of those same subjects.

But the film wisely did not try to cram in all the novel`s action, particularly the latter, London scenes.

The play, trying to encompass the book, is too eager to be faithful, and in so doing, it becomes too much.

`THE LUSTY AND COMICAL HISTORY OF TOM JONES`

A comedy adapted by John Morrison from the Henry Fielding novel, directed by Dan LaMorte, costumes and set by John Murbach. Center Theater, 1346 W. Devon, in rotating repertory with ``The Marriage of Bette and Boo`` at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 5:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday and 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, through July 3. Play length: 2:40. Tickets $9 to $12. Phone 508-5422.